1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connector apparatuses for cards and, particularly, to an electrical connector apparatus capable of preventing accidental removal of a card.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent No. 3,095,337 discloses, in paragraphs (0039) and (0040), an electrical connector apparatus of this type. This connector apparatus is incorporated in an electronics device to receive a card, such as a PC card, through a front slot of the device so that the terminals of the card are connected to the electrical connector provided at the opposite end to the front slot.
The terminals provided on a side edge of the card are connected to an external coaxial cable. The terminals of the coaxial cable are pressed toward the side edge of the card for contact with the card terminals. To remove the card, the button of a removal lever provided in a card ejector is depressed to bring by way of a cam mechanism a retention member for holding the coaxial terminals to the spaced position against the above pressure, thereby releasing the contact of the terminals.
However, the rear end of a card projects from the front slot even before the release button is depressed so that the rear end of the card can be grabbed accidentally to remove the card. To protect the cable terminals from damage at such an accident, cable terminals cannot be connected by fitting to the card terminals but only brought into contact with them. The electrical connection by this surface contact, however, can cause poor conduction under vibrations.